Trystan
by Haliii
Summary: -ON HOLD- A stranger turns up in Camelot, his village destroyed. Uther makes him a guest, allowing him to stay in the castle and offering Merlin as his servant. But is this stranger all that he seems? Can Merlin and Arthur find out? Angst Ahoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, I'm finally deciding to give something other than one-shots a go ;P**

**Please point out any mistakes, this is unbeta'd so I'd love to improve :o)**

**I hope you enjoy :D**

**Haliii x**

* * *

A bedraggled, downtrodden man walked heavily through the castle, escorted by guards. They were taking him to the great hall, where Uther and Arthur Pendragon were. The man was being granted his request.

To see the ruler of Camelot.

Both royals looked up expectantly upon the opening of the grand doors.

The anonymous man stepped forward, walking towards Camelot's rulers before solemnly kneeling, head bowed.

"My lords."

"Rise," commanded Uther. "What is your name?"

"My name is Trystan, sire."

"Trystan, welcome to Camelot. What is it you wish to speak of with me?"

Arthur scrutinised the peculiar figure in front of him. He appeared a young man, and was lean, dark and tall. His shaggy, shoulder-length dark hair and stern pale face making his piercing grey eyes look as if they glowed in the dark. The man was tired, dirt and grime clung to his clothes. He had obviously had a hard journey to get to Camelot.

"My – my village… it was burnt to the ground, sire. People – _my_ people… screaming..."

His silver eyes were haunted.

It was night, my lords, everyone was unprepared. I – It was sorcery, my lords. The fire started and spread so quickly and it was so vast… the sorcerer locked everyone in their houses, too. It claimed the lives of a–all my people. I…I am the only survivor. I have nowhere to go… I have lost everything," Trystan finished quietly.

Then his eyes turned desperate.

"Please, I beg of you, would you allow me to stay in Camelot for a few nights? I was highly regarded in my village, I have money – "

"Of course you may stay," granted Uther kindly. "We will prepare the guest chambers for you."

The man's expression was grateful beyond relief. "Thank you. Thank you, sire," he stuttered.

"And you will have the use of Prince Arthur's manservant, if you should wish," added Uther.

Trystan's eyes widened, surprised he was being offered such treatment. "You have my eternal gratitude, my lords."

Uther smiled. "You shall be treated as a guest in our castle. Prince Arthur will show you to your chambers."

* * *

After dinner, Arthur found Merlin in his chambers, cleaning his armour. The warlock had not yet been told the news.

"Merlin."

"Yes, Arthur?" Merlin paused in his work.

"Just to let you know, we have a guest called Trystan staying in Camelot for a few days. He is to be treated as a guest in the castle, and, thanks to my father, his wish is your command," Arthur explained with a smile.

Merlin sighed and put a hand over his face. "_Two_ prats at once? I can barely keep up with one!"

Arthur just laughed, while Merlin groaned.

"Don't worry, Merlin, it shouldn't be too bad. The man has just had his village burnt to the ground!"

Merlin gave Arthur a sarcastic look before shaking his head and sighing.

"He's probably not even used to having a servant. It'll be all right."

He hoped Arthur was right.

"Just make sure you didn't save all your clumsiness for him. It might not go down to well."

* * *

Merlin couldn't believe it.

Arthur _was_ right.

Well, not about the whole clumsiness part. But the other stuff was right.

Merlin was probably the best treated servant in the whole of Camelot!

Trystan was very generous and humble, every inch aware of the fact he had come from a small village to being a guest of the king in Camelot. Not used to such luxury, Trystan treated Merlin equally, glad he had someone to share the king's gift with.

Merlin also found he had less work to do, discovering Trystan liked to do many chores himself and his chambers were often spotless whenever Merlin showed up for work.

As you could imagine, Merlin didn't mind.

The two had quickly become friends, forgetting one was meant to do the other's bidding.

Merlin entered Trystan's chambers, seeing how much needed done. Looking around, the room was neat and tidy, as Merlin expected.

"Trystan?"

No answer.

Then Merlin heard a noise from the adjoining room to the guest chambers.

"Trystan?" Merlin called cautiously. The young warlock began to walk towards the door the noise came from.

Then it happened.

Merlin jumped as he suddenly felt two hands wrap around his throat, squeezing gently but firmly, as they began to cut off his air supply.

The warlock sighed and shook his head as much as he was able with a smile.

"Okay, you win. Now let go."

Trystan withdrew his hands and turned to face Merlin, laughing.

Merlin looked at him with annoyed amusement. "At least I didn't scream this time!"

"No, but you just about collapsed with fright!" Trystan grinned.

"Shut up."

Trystan just laughed.

"I'll get my revenge… just you wait!" Merlin tried to threaten.

"I'll be waiting," Trystan chuckled.

Merlin lightly cuffed him over the head and grumbled under his breath.

* * *

Arthur sighed as he entered his chambers. They were spotless. The prince couldn't remember the last time they'd been so clean.

It was wrong.

With Merlin as his servant, Arthur's chambers were never as clean as they could have been. There was always some mess Merlin had forgotten to take care of, or he'd left the job unfinished.

But Arthur didn't mind.

He thought it brought some character to the room. And it reminded him of Merlin.

Only now it was different.

Arthur moved to a chair and sat down heavily, unconsciously leaning an arm on the chair and resting his head on his hand.

Merlin had started to work for Trystan as well as Arthur, but unable to cope with all the work, he'd persuaded Arthur to hire another manservant for himself while Trystan was here. Arthur had no reason to disagree.

Well.

Not one he would admit to.

Arthur saw increasingly less and less of Merlin. He hadn't liked the sudden change of servant at first, but the prince had expected that and told himself he merely needed a short time to adjust.

But as time passed, Arthur found he simply couldn't.

Arthur realised that for the first time, he missed Merlin. Missed the hopelessness of his servant, missed the banter, missed the fun.

Missed his friend.

As Arthur thought about it, he started to become jealous.

How could Merlin forget about him, just like that?

How had he and Trystan got along so well already?

Arthur always saw them, laughing and joking together as they strolled around Camelot.

Arthur missed having someone to laugh with.

It seemed Merlin was his light, Merlin was what kept him positive. Everyone else seemed to be concerned with some mortal peril or apocalyptic doom all the time. But the young warlock would always cheer him up instantly.

And now he was gone.

Because for as long as Trystan stayed, Merlin chose him over Arthur.

* * *

**Please review and let me know if I should continue, x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, second chapter already :D **

**A massive thank you to all my reviewers, you guys are amazing =) **

**Please let me know if there are any mistakes, this is all unbeta'd.**

**Haliii, x**

* * *

Weeks passed, and Trystan still showed no sign of leaving. Arthur barely saw Merlin at all, only when by chance they passed in the corridor. Even then, Merlin was either with Trystan, or wrapped up in some errand.

Arthur had resigned himself to the fact Merlin was no longer his servant. He tried to absorb himself in his duties as a prince, sometimes going out on lengthy patrols or practising for longer with his knights.

The worst thing, however, was that the light in Arthur Pendragon was disappearing.

The prince became more stoic, lifeless, and angry, more likely to lose his temper at people who didn't deserve it.

But Arthur's behaviour didn't go unnoticed by everyone.

Gwen sighed as she watched Arthur yell at another knight for not being able to endure the longer, harder training sessions.

"It's not good enough! You are useless! You must be faster, stronger and have _much_ more stamina if you even _hope_ to be able to defend your kingdom!"

The knight, who was breathless, on his knees and sweating, could only nod.

Gwen couldn't watch any longer, and walked away without a word.

* * *

Gaius looked up from his studies as Gwen walked in. The physician frowned in concern when he saw Gwen was jumpy and agitated, seemingly worried about something.

"Gwen? What's wrong?"

Gwen wrung her hands nervously. "How's Merlin been? Have you seen much of him?"

Gaius thought for a moment before realising he had seen steadily less of the young warlock. He frowned. "Now that you mention it, I admit I haven't seen as much of him as usual."

"And when you have what's he like?"

"Same old Merlin, really."

"Are you sure?"

Gaius thought hard. He knew this was important to Gwen, and if it was about Merlin, it concerned Gaius too. "I guess he seems... happier. I'm not sure what else. I have been busy these past few days. Tell me, what is this about?"

Gwen sighed. "Have you spoken to Arthur recently?"

"No, I haven't."

"He's… different. I mean, he's not, but he is," Gwen tried to explain. "He's not the same around people… it's like… like he's gone back to how he was before Merlin came."

Gaius's eyes lit up in recognition. "And you think this is because Merlin is working for Trystan?"

Gwen nodded. "Yes. Since Merlin started working for Trystan no one has seen him as much as they used to. And Arthur… he… it's like Merlin was what changed him, and now without him... he's changing back."

"I see what you mean, Gwen. I will talk to Merlin this evening."

Gwen suddenly looked worried. "All right, Gaius, but don't mention Arthur to him."

"Why not?" Gaius asked, confused.

Gwen sighed anxiously. "Just ask him what Trystan is like, and what the two get up to. If you think about it, no one else knows what he is like. He barely speaks to anyone. They both just disappear off together. Who knows what they're doing?"

Gaius still didn't understand. "I still don't see why Merlin shouldn't know about Arthur."

"What if Trystan can't be trusted?"

* * *

That night, Merlin returned home late, expecting Gaius to be asleep.

But to the warlock's surprise, he was there waiting up for him.

"Hey, Gaius. It's late. What are you still doing up?"

Gaius smiled. "I waited up for you. I've barely seen you these past few days."

Taking off his coat, Merlin grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, I know, I guess I've just been spending a whole lot of time with Trystan."

"Who?" Gaius pretended to forget.

"Trystan," Merlin repeated cautiously. "You know, he came to Camelot, Uther made him a guest…" Merlin trailed off, seemingly reluctant to go into detail.

"Oh, yes, of course," Gaius feigned realisation. "What do you two get up to anyway? I haven't seen much of you recently."

"Oh, lots of things," the warlock said unenthusiastically. "Trystan's a really good person. We just have a great time doing whatever he wants to do, be it hunting or just a ride in the woods."

Merlin's eyes adopted a far away look. "He treats me equally. Like… like I'm more than a servant."

Gaius forced a smile. "I'm glad you two are getting on so well. Maybe you should bring Trystan round some time, so I can meet him."

Merlin froze. "Oh… um… I'm not sure, Gaius."

"Why not, Merlin?"

"There's just never enough time…"

"I'm sure it wouldn't take that long."

"Trystan's always just really busy, and he's not that used to being around a lot of strangers."

"I'm not a stranger to you. Surely he wouldn't mind – "

"No, Gaius. I really don't think he would like it," Merlin insisted forcefully.

The physician rose his eyebrows, surprised at the warlock's tone of voice. "I only want to meet your friend – "

"Look, Gaius, just drop it! He doesn't want to see you and I don't want you to see him!" Merlin shouted.

Silence.

Merlin turned and stalked to his room without so much as a look at Gaius, slamming the door behind him.

Gaius sighed and bowed his head.

"Oh, Merlin…"

* * *

It was the next day, and Arthur Pendragon stormed into his chambers, throwing his sword on the table with a frustrated growl.

Everyone was so useless; no one could keep up in training anymore. Arthur wondered why his knights had suddenly becomeso much weaker, slower, and less aware. Nothing was different. Nothing had changed.

Not concerning the knights, anyway.

Arthur's world was another matter.

The prince paced his chambers, fists clenched at his sides. The longer he thought, the whiter his knuckles became, and his nails started to dig into his palms.

His head was such a mess.

He was so confused. He didn't understand how things had gone so wrong in the space of a few weeks. What had happened? Had he done something wrong? Was this some kind of trick? Was his father testing him?

Arthur sat down in a chair and leant forward, elbows on his knees, head in his hands. He was so consumed in his thoughts that he didn't notice someone else had entered the room.

Gaius crossed the room to where the drained Arthur was, placing a comforting hand on the prince's shoulder. "Sire?"

Arthur jumped and sat up instantly, sharply returning to the present. He looked at the man standing behind him. "Gaius? What are you doing here?"

The physician sighed and looked away.

"Gaius?" Arthur asked, concerned. The prince stood up. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Gaius looked Arthur in the eye. "It's... it's you, sire."

Arthur recoiled slightly in surprise. That was the last thing he'd expected out of Gaius. "Me? Why? What's wrong with me?"

Gaius hesitated, not sure if he could speak so frankly with the prince. "I… you… well…"

"Gaius," the prince urged, "you are a trusted friend. You may speak with me as you wish. Have no fear. Tell me what is wrong."

The physician nodded, taking a deep breath. "I have noticed you have been acting… differently of late, Arthur."

The prince nodded, face turning suspiciuos. "Go on."

"I- I have noticed that you… that you seem to be more irritable. I have seen you practicing with your knights; you lose your temper at your most trusted warriors, sire. And... you are not as… open… as you once were." Gaius swallowed nervously.

Arthur broke eye contact and began slowly pacing the room, contemplating Gaius's observations.

"Sire, if this has anything to do with Mer – "

"This has nothing to do with Merlin!" Arthur cut in, a little louder than necessary.

Gaius sighed. "I know he has become Trystan's servant, and I can see… I can see that it has affected you, Arthur."

The prince opened his mouth, ready to retaliate, but the physician spoke before he had a chance.

"It has affected me too."

The prince looked at Gaius disbelievingly, mouth closing in surprise.

"Like you, I have not seen Merlin either as of late. And when he returned last night…" Gaius broke off.

"What?" immediately asked the prince. "What happened?"

"He… he was very defensive of anything concerning Trystan. I asked to meet him, but Merlin snapped and shouted at me to just leave it!" Gaius exclaimed.

Arthur stopped his pacing in surprise. "It's not like Merlin to snap at anyone." Arthur's eyes widened. "In fact, I've never heard of him losing his temper at _you_ before."

"Exactly," agreed Gaius. "Merlin has changed almost immediately since meeting Trystan."

There was a pause.

"Just as you have changed since Merlin left."

Arthur looked at Gaius, recognition sparking in his eyes. He had to get Merlin back.

"So, what are we going to do?"

* * *

**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Heyy :D Chapter 3 is here!**

**This chapter is a little longer to make up for the extra time I took to update :)**

**Thank you soo much to JisbonFriend, archeress of silverbow, melon3, MagicByMerlin, unicorndiva, Emmmaaarr and TheMinxySix for reviewing! You guys are acee! Total awesomeness :D**

**_Italics_ are thoughts and flashbacks :)**

**Hope you enjoy, x**

* * *

"I– I'm not sure, sire. I was hoping you would have some idea."

Arthur rubbed a hand over his face in thought. What would catch Merlin's attention? What would affect him the most?

Arthur's face lit up.

"I have an idea."

"Go on," urged Gaius.

The old man listened intently as Arthur explained his thoughts.

"That just might work, Arthur."

Arthur nodded, pleased they had some sort of plan. The prince began to pace slowly, thinking about how they would put his plan to use.

"Except I think you should do it."

Arthur stopped in his tracks. "Me?"

"Yes. It would be as effective on Merlin and you are younger and stronger than I am. It would be safer for all of us. Plus, you are no physician. What if something were to go wrong?"

Arthur sighed doubtfully. "Are you sure it will work?"

Gaius only needed to look at the prince. It was enough of an answer.

"Then I trust you," the prince conceded. "Tell me what I have to do."

* * *

Merlin was on his way back to Gaius's chambers. The warlock's eyes dropped for a moment.

Since he and Gaius had argued it just didn't feel right to call it home anymore.

Merlin sighed.

But then he remembered he was seeing Trystan later on.

Instantly his mood brightened, his step much lighter as he began to ascend the familiar stone stairs.

But then all of a sudden he stopped.

It was as if his bones had turned to ice, immediately frozen still.

Something was wrong.

Merlin could feel it.

The silence was deafening.

Merlin had a sudden sense of urgency to run up the stairs, and shot off like a frightened rabbit.

But he didn't get there.

Not before a loud, long, painful scream split the air.

It echoed through the passageway, right down to the courtyard.

But Merlin didn't stop to listen to it.

The warlock crashed through the door, slamming it against the wall with a thunderous bang.

He froze again, as if he'd been turned to stone.

Arthur was on the floor.

Thrashing about with his eyes tightly shut, the proud, righteous expression had crumpled, agony etched into the prince's face.

Time seemed to slow for a moment as Merlin stared in absolute shock at Arthur.

Never before had he seen anyone in so much pain.

Let alone a friend.

"Merlin!"

The warlock's eyes were glued to the prince, an unreadable look adopting his features.

"MERLIN!" Gaius all but shouted, trying to snap Merlin out of it.

He sighed in relief when the warlock dragged his eyes up to meet Gaius's.

"Can you help me get him onto the bed?" Gaius asked urgently.

He received no response.

Merlin only continued to stare right through him.

"Merlin! I need you to help him! He needs you!"

Time suddenly sped up for Merlin and the heavy fog in his mind cleared.

Jerking into action, Merlin dodged past Gaius and headed straight to Arthur, who was on the other side of the room.

"Arthur?" He asked cautiously. "Arthur!"

Merlin crouched and put a hand on Arthur's shoulder, ready to shake the hell out of him.

He didn't get the chance.

Arthur instantly recoiled as if the touch was hot iron searing his skin, shouting out in anguish and curling into a tight ball.

Merlin looked up at Gaius helplessly. Gaius met his glance.

An idea came to Merlin. "Can I…?" he asked desperately.

Gaius sighed deeply and nodded. "I don't think he'll notice."

Eyes flickered gold, and Arthur was on the bed in a flash.

Merlin studied the prince, still frantic with worry.

Some tension was released as Arthur began to calm down slightly. The prince had stopped writhing about, now curled up rigidly on the bed. His panicky breathing slowed down somewhat, although it was still heavy and pained.

Merlin kneeled on the floor next to the bed, a tear running down his face.

"Arthur?" Merlin carefully but tenderly placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Arthur, it's all right. What– whatever's wrong, we'll help you. It'll be fine. You'll be fine, Arthur! I promise," Merlin vowed brokenly.

"Merlin?" the prince whispered weakly.

Arthur was shaking, trembling as if ice cold and yet the manservant could feel the heat emanating in waves from the prince. He had started to sweat, and a quivering arm reached out, a hand groping about for something. Anything.

"Yes, Arthur! I'm here," assured Merlin, gripping Arthur's hand in his own.

Gaius looked on, lost in his thoughts. _This shouldn't be happening_, the physician thought fearfully. _This wasn't part of the plan!_

As his mind drifted he remembered what Arthur had said…

"_I have an idea."_

"_Go on," urged Gaius. The old man listened intently as Arthur explained his thoughts. _

"_Well, it's like we're trying to wake Merlin up."_

_Gaius looked at him blankly._

"_Okay, okay, let me put it this way. If someone has spaced out, and you're trying to get their attention, but shouting at them isn't working, what do you do?"_

_Gaius didn't answer. Arthur rolled his eyes._

"_You hit them. Poke them. Tap them, whatever. Because actions speak louder than words. So we need to strike Merlin. Hard. And what does Merlin care about more than anything?"_

_Gaius's expression lit up in recognition._

"_Exactly," Arthur said knowingly. "Obviously, we'll be faking it."_

"_Faking it?"_

"_Yes. You know what you're doing Gaius, you can come up with some sort of potion. If we can fake your death or you catch a very serious illness, Merlin would be devastated. It would break whatever hold Trystan has over him."_

"_That just might work, Arthur."_

_Arthur nodded, pleased they had some sort of plan. The prince began to pace slowly, thinking about how they would put his plan to use._

"_Except I think you should do it."  
_

Gaius regretted those words now more than ever.

"_This should do the trick," murmured Gaius. The physician turned to face the prince, potion in hand. Arthur looked up._

_Arthur swallowed nervously. "What does it do?"_

"_It should put you into a deep sleep, on the verge of unconsciousness. I will add some of these…" Gaius rummaged for a few more vials, showing them to Arthur. "They will induce symptoms similar to a fever. Drink this and I will do the rest."_

_Arthur nodded, trying to hide how shaky he was. He really hoped this would work. For his and Merlin's sake._

_Gaius noticed the prince's worried body language. He didn't know what to say. It was usually Merlin who would calm Arthur down._

"_Though it may bring little comfort, sire, I won't let anything happen to you."_

_Arthur nodded gratefully._

"_Merlin won't either."_

_The prince looked up and smiled shakily at Gaius, before his face changed to a look of grim determination. He held out his hand out for the mixture Gaius had created. _

_Gaius sighed. "Are you– "_

"_I'm sure."_

_Gaius handed Arthur the potion._

_Arthur drank._

_And then saw only darkness.  
_

Gaius couldn't understand what had happened. Arthur was in great pain, and clearly trapped in some sort of nightmarish vision.

But Gaius was sure he had added the correct elements. These symptoms were too extreme. None of this was his fault.

Was it?

_Arthur was on the bed in the middle of Gaius's quarters._

_The potion was working as planned, and the prince was in a deep sleep, his temperature beginning to rise slightly._

_Meanwhile, the physician was standing by his workbench, creating an antidote to reverse the effects when he would need it. Pouring three of the ingredients that formed his potion into a test tube, Gaius watched closely for the slight colour change which meant the reaction had taken place._

_But he never saw it._

_Someone screamed. _

_A scream of agony that deafened the physician. _

_It frightened him to no end._

_The test tube was dropped and smashed to pieces on the floor. _

_Gaius's ears were ringing and his heart was skipping beats with shock, but through his hazy mind he thought of the only other person in the room._

"_Arthur…" Gaius whispered fearfully.  
__  
The physician turned to see the once proud prince on the floor, his whole being contorted in extreme pain._

_Gaius jumped forward to see what he could do but was stopped as the door forcefully whipped open, crashing into the wall and sending splinters everywhere._

"_Merlin!"  
_

Gaius was harshly brought back to reality as once again the door to his chambers was blasted open again, cracking in places with the force.

"Merlin!"

The warlock reluctantly turned away from Arthur. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Trystan?"

The man dashed over to where Merlin was, noticing the prince on the bed. His expression became worried. "What happened, Merlin?"

Merlin sighed shakily as Trystan squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. The warlock swallowed.

"Arthur… he– he…" Merlin's voice cracked. He broke down, holding his head in his hands as the tears finally started slipping down his cheeks.

Trystan knelt down beside Merlin and pulled the warlock into a protective embrace, longing to shield Merlin from the pain. "I know, Merlin. I know."

Trystan sighed deeply for his friend. Merlin began to tremble in his arms, and he held him tighter. "It'll be okay… Arthur's strong, he's not going to give up… neither should you," he murmured to the warlock.

About an hour later, Gaius ended up sleeping in Merlin's bed, since Arthur occupied his and Merlin refused to move.

Trystan had decided to stay overnight to stay with the warlock.

Gaius told the two to wake him if they needed anything before leaving them in silence.

Merlin had not moved much since the moment he had started crying.

Before either of the two knew it, Merlin had fallen into a restless sleep within Trystan's arms.

* * *

It was the darkest part of the night, and Camelot was silent. The only people still awake were the guards on duty.

And Trystan.

The man watched the prince, his eyes almost glowing in the dark, as Arthur tossed and moaned in an uneasy sleep, his expression full of pain.

Trystan's eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Arthur Pendragon…" Trystan spat venomously.

"You will be shown no mercy…"

**

* * *

**  
**Please review! I will update faster, promise! x**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, I'm so sorry this has taken longer than usual, school was pretty evil this week. **

**But hey, weekend = chapter :D**

**Sorry I havent replied to reviews, but thank you so much to unicorndiva, MagicByMerlin, Ethurill, Emmmaaarr, TheMinxySix, archeress of silverbow, PancakesYum, goodythreeshoes, melon3, Ohtar Vicky, JisbonFriend and CrayonsPink!!! You guys are all amazingly awesome :D**

**And thanks to all the guys who've added me to story alert :) **

**Anyway, you all deserve this for being extra patient with me :) Enjoy...  
**

* * *

_  
It was cold, damp and dark._

_The jagged stone was unforgiving and crushing. The wind moaned outside, as if in pain. It echoed throughout the cave, as if there were lost souls trapped inside. The air was so icy it hurt to breathe._

_In the cave, there were three figures._

_One was dead, a sword in his chest. Another was fatally wounded, nearing death. _

_And the third one sat, cradling the one near death. _

_Desperate cries for help reverberated off the cave walls, fighting the wail of the wind._

"_Listen to me. You… you're going to be all right…" A tear slipped down his cheek as he ignored the blood that was quickly soaking his shirt._

_Why? Why did he do it?_

_The body in his arms was fast growing cold. Breaths were getting shallower. _

_Time was running out._

_No, this couldn't be happening. His friend wasn't dying in his arms. It was all some sick image. A nightmare. _

_It had to be._

_Stories brainwash you. When you're told a tale of someone's death, you imagine the cool way the blood slowly trickles down the shirt, and they always have just enough time to deliver their last lines, usually a message for the woman or man they love, or a message for the whole of mankind.  
__  
The way he went down was nothing like that._

_First there was the force of the blood, then urination, and then the very violent convulsions._

_The only sound was the desperate gasping for breath, as his body struggled to hold onto life._

_And then all of a sudden, Arthur gave up._

_There was a moment of silence, his back arched, his body stiffened, and then he took his last breath._

_It was nothing like a story. _

"_No," he wept as he lowered his head to his friend's still chest, "no…don't leave me. Please…come back…" _

_He cradled the still form in his arms, desperately feeling for a pulse. There was none. So he did the only thing he was capable of doing, rocking the body and pleading. Begging for his friend back. _

_His ears picked up the pounding of hooves on soil. _

_He smiled; they were saved. _

_Merlin scrambled to the entrance of the cave, dragging Arthur with him, still clutching the prince in his arms._

_The horses and riders soon came into view and halted before the two friends, swiftly moving to help. They took the still body from his desperate grasp. _

_Merlin allowed them to; they could save his friend. He watched as Gaius examined him. _

_The physician bowed his head, a deep anguish written on his face. _

"_Help him, please help him," Merlin begged him desperately. "Please!"_

_Gaius stepped forward and solemnly placed a hand on his shoulder. _

"_I'm…I'm sorry, Merlin…but he is gone. There's…there's nothing more we can do." _

_The warlock started shaking his head in disbelief. Slowly at first, but then more vigorously as the meaning of his guardian's words sank in. Gaius was lying, he could help Arthur. He just needed to be brought back to Camelot…_

_Gaius gripped both his shoulders tightly. _

"_I am so sorry, Merlin…he's gone…" _

"_No!" Merlin yelled. "NO! ARTHUR!" _

Merlin jerked upright.

A thin sheen of sweat coated his body and his chest heaved as he panted for air. He looked around frantically, wildly; his mind still struggling to comprehend that it was only a nightmare.

Taking deep breaths, Merlin began to calm himself down.

It was then he realised he was in a forest. Surrounded by trees and alone, Merlin was confused. He didn't understand how he'd gotten here. Casting his mind back Merlin thought about what had happened the night before…

"Arthur…" Merlin whispered, realisation dawning on him. He had no idea why he was in this forest, but he knew he had to get back to Camelot. Now.

For Arthur.

Merlin looked around for any signs that might tell him where he was.

Sighing when he found none, Merlin stood up, ready to try a random direction in the hope he would find his way.

But he never took a step.

Instead he collapsed to the ground.

Blood started to drip from his head.

* * *

"Gaius?" Gwen called, knocking on the door to Merlin's room before entering.

The physician woke, taking a moment before he was fully aware. "Gwen? What is it?"

The events of last night hit the physician hard. "Is it Arthur? Is he all right?"

Gwen looked confused. "What? Arthur?"

Gaius was past Gwen and out of Merlin's room as fast as he was capable of.

And then suddenly stopped at the top of the stairs.

Descending them slowly, he frowned.

The room was empty.

The bed Arthur had been resting on was overturned, blankets everywhere. The stools Merlin and Trystan had been sitting on had been knocked to the ground.

"They're gone…" Gaius uttered, disbelievingly.

"Who's gone?" asked Gwen worriedly. "What happened?"

Gaius moved to examine the place the three figures had last been. "Arthur was gravely ill last night. I did all I could for him, and eventually retired for the night, leaving Merlin and Trystan to watch over him."

Gaius bowed his head as he caught a small, red stain on the floor.

"But what happened?" he wondered.

* * *

It was cold, damp and dark.

He opened his eyes.

Lying on the ground, the jagged stone dug into his back and loomed overhead. The wind was howling, echoing around him. The air was so cold it burned his throat.

Arthur sat up, no idea where he was.

Then the pain struck.

His head exploded, his vision blackening around the edges while bright lights consumed everything else. He gasped, gritting his teeth and clutching his head, willing his head to stop spinning. The prince leaned back against the cave wall.

Then he heard something.

As he started to regain his composure, Arthur scanned his surroundings.

He was not alone.

Though his eyesight was unclear, the prince could make out a figure in the dim light, watching him from where it sat.

"Who's there?" Arthur demanded, still upholding his demeanour when injured.

No reply.

The silence unnerved him.

Arthur shuffled forward a bit, hoping he would be able to get a better look at the person.

The prince's eyes widened in surprise.

"Merlin?"

Still no reply.

His manservant remained expressionless, staring right through Arthur.

"Are you all right?" asked the prince, who was starting to get worried now. "Merlin, say something."

Just as Arthur was ready to shake the life out of his friend, he heard steps from behind him.

"He won't answer you, _prince_."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! :) If you haven't reviewed already, join the club :D**

**Haliii xxx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, remember me? :P**

**I'm really sorry it took so incredibly long to get this chapter out. My dad, who has been away in Australia since the end of July, showed up at the door on Monday! :D So that's why I wasn't able to write this then.**

**I've also got prelims in January, plus a clarinet exam, tons of peoples bdays, and my mum's friend is moving in from London and is having a baby... isn't January gonna be great? ;P We're stocking up on baby furniture already lol ;)**

**Anyway, thank you soo much to all reviewers, again I'm so sorry I've had no time to reply :(**

**maxibatts, JisbonFriend, CrayonsPink, DA, MagicByMerlin, TheMinxySix, unicorndiva, Serenity Starke, melon3, Loopylion14, goodythreeshoes, Emmmaaarr and archeress of silverbow ARE ALL AMAZINGG!!!**

**And an extra thanks to all the silent readers, some of who have added me to story alerts :o) Hope you'll tell me what you think.**

**And I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. IT'S CHRISTMAS SOON! :D  
**

* * *

Arthur whipped round to glare at his enemy.

And reeled back in shock.

"Trystan?" Arthur asked, disbelievingly. "What are you doing here?"

The corner of Trystan's mouth twitched upwards slightly, before a small, condescending smirk took its place.

But it was too dark for Arthur to see that.

The prince decided to play dumb. "I'm guessing you woke up here too?"

A quiet laugh was heard. "Let's not play games, _sire_," Trystan sneered. "I know of the plan that you and the physician put together."

_So much for that_, thought Arthur. "So what _is_ your plan, exactly? Keep me and Merlin in a cave until I see the error of my ways?"

Another laugh.

"Something like that."

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "What have you done to Merlin?"

No answer.

The smirk on Trystan's face grew.

"Well?" Arthur wasn't in the mood for games. "What have you done?!"

"So impatient…" Trystan shook his head.

_Or worried about Merlin_, Arthur thought. "What the bloody hell have you done to him!"

"See for yourself." Trystan folded his arms, looking on in amusement.

Arthur scowled deeply, shooting a hate-filled glare at the man before turning to face Merlin.

The manservant was staring at Arthur.

Well, staring through Arthur.

Merlin's face was blank. Expressionless.

Lifeless.

In fact, if Merlin's eyes weren't open, he could be mistaken for dead.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked again, somewhat tentatively. "Merlin!" he called louder.

The warlock didn't respond.

Slouched against the cave wall, head tilted to the side, Merlin gazed through Arthur with wide, glassy eyes.

Arthur put a hand on Merlin's shoulder, shaking him gently. The prince became more worried by the second.

Then he couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Tell me what you have done!" he roared angrily, his voice echoing harshly through the cave.

Trystan didn't even flinch. He smiled.

"Merlin, restrain our _prince_."

Before Arthur could even comprehend what that meant, his manservant jerked towards him, holding his hand out.

"_Afael bacia_."

Eyes flared gold.

Merlin's hand lowered.

Arthur couldn't move.

Whether it was from the shock or the spell, he wasn't sure.

His mind just froze.

Trystan smirked.

"Time to have some fun."

* * *

"Search the castle and the lower towns. I will have him found!"

The guards hurriedly left the room.

Camelot's physician entered the great hall, bowing before the king.

"Gaius," Uther greeted. "What brings you here?"

"I have knowledge concerning the prince's disappearance."

Uther sat up in his chair. "Leave us," he ordered the two guards at the doors.

Once the doors were closed, Uther wasted no time. "What is it?"

"Last night, Arthur visited my chambers for a headache remedy," Gaius looked at the floor. "His headache was severe and he was suffering greatly, so I made the decision to keep him in my chambers overnight for observation. I… I left Trystan and Merlin with him for the night." Gaius looked up, a look of regret and pain on his face.

The king frowned in concern. "What happened, Gaius?"

"Merlin, Trystan and Arthur have all disappeared from my chambers. There are signs of a struggle."

"And your theory is?"

Gaius met Uther's gaze evenly. After all these years, they knew each other's motives, pasts and lines of thinking so well. It was almost instinct.

They also knew the dark secrets of Camelot.

"Trystan is not to be trusted. I believe he has kidnapped Arthur and Merlin and fled from Camelot."

Uther broke eye contact with Gaius and frowned, as if contemplating this idea.

"Gaius... you are a trusted ally of Camelot, and a good friend of mine. But why do you think Trystan is behind my son's disappearance?"

Gaius hesitated.

He had been so worried about Merlin and Arthur he hadn't thought of what to tell Uther.

Well.

Even if he couldn't tell the whole truth, he could tell part of it.

"Merlin would never endanger Arthur," stated Gaius. "We both know Merlin is an extremely loyal servant to the prince." The physician looked at Uther.

The king nodded. "Go on."

"Ever since Merlin began to serve Trystan, he began to act… differently. Merlin appeared to have forgotten about Arthur all together, until last night, when Arthur was in a great deal of pain."

Uther looked up, recognition sparking in his eyes.

Gaius continued, "I am sure you have also noticed Arthur has been… out of character, recently."

The king bowed his head in agreement immediately. "He has not been himself."

Gaius looked at Uther knowingly. "To say the least. Merlin has been the same, Uther. I… I fear Trystan has planned all along to drive them apart, and without each other, they have returned to the people they once were."

"They changed each other," Uther realised.

"Exactly," confirmed the physician.

There was a moment of silence.

Gaius sighed.

"Uther…I believe Trystan is behind Arthur's sudden illness," Gaius lied. "And if Trystan can change Arthur by just taking away what he holds dear, I dread to even imagine what he will do with complete power over him."

Uther's head shot up in retaliation, rage running throught his veins. "Arthur is the most skilled warrior in the whole of Camelot, and this _Trystan_ will not simply be able to – "

"With all due respect, sire, Arthur was in agony when I last saw him. It would be extremely difficult for him to even stand, let alone fight," Gaius cut in grimly.

Silence.

The physician watched as the king's expression transformed.

First, there was the proud, confident exterior as he spoke with absolute belief in Arthur's ability.

Then Uther's face slowly crumbled.

The confidence dissolved into fear and anxiety.

His thoughts were Arthur, and only Arthur.

The Crown Prince of Camelot.

His son.

The pain he felt was like a bullet in the mind.

Agonising.

"I'm sorry," Gaius said quietly, the words weighed down heavily with the sincere sorrow and pain he felt.

Suddenly Uther's face morphed into a stoic expression, and he waved his hand dismissively. "This is not your fault, and I know you well enough to understand you are suffering from the same pain."

Gaius bowed his head in grief.

Uther rose from his chair, and slowly walked towards the court physician. He placed a gloved hand on Gaius's shoulder, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I promise you, we will find our sons."

Gaius lifted his head and looked Uther in the eye. He nodded.

"And we will find them alive."

**

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**  
So I wasn't as mean this time... right? ;P**

**Please review, xxx**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry this took so long, probably because I found I made a typo on the word nodded, and I wrote "Trystan nooded" xD I laughed for ages… *shakes head***

**Thank you to each and every single one of my amazing reviewers. You are my motivation :) Thanks so much to HikaruOfArrow, CrayonsPink, Loopylion14, goodythreeshoes, maxibatts, MagicByMerlin, Emmmaaarr, Poppiezzzz, unicorndiva and melon3 :D**

**This story is gonna get a whole lot more evil...**

**Haliii xxx  
**

* * *

His eyes opened.

He took in his dim surroundings, looking around slowly. He shifted and instantly regretted it as he winced in pain and bit his lip to stifle any sound of pain. As consciousness returned and his vision began to focus, he attempted to evaluate his injuries. After a moment, he decided that none were all that life threatening for the time being, just painful.

His mind sluggishly realised he was on the floor. Arthur heaved himself up, and was brutally unprepared for the onslaught that followed.

His head spun violently, his vision blackening around the edges as he fought to stay upright. A barrelling wave of pain smashed into him, and he desperately clutched at his head and squeezed his eyes tightly shut, willing the agony to subside.

Then memory slammed into him.

A small cry escaped the prince, the images burning brightly in his mind. They consumed all of his thoughts and flashed fiercely before his eyes.

Tears began to form in his eyes, and he scrunched them tighter than before.

Betrayal.

It stung.

It stung at his very soul.

_Get a grip, Arthur_, he thought. _It's not Merlin's fault_.

_Is it?_

_No._

The prince sighed and slumped against the rough, jagged wall behind him.

He knew this moment of quiet wasn't going to last long.

It wasn't like Trystan was going to start freely offering Arthur moments of peace, respite and recovery.

He smiled dryly to himself. _That_ would be the day.

All of a sudden Arthur froze and held his breath.

He was no longer alone.

He could hear footsteps.

Steady, robotic footsteps, that held no emotion like they used to, echoed down the cave towards Arthur.

Thought it was dark, it was easy to see a pair of eyes moving towards him, gleaming brightly.

Golden eyes.

Eyes that used to be blue once. An icy sapphire that Arthur had come to know well. They only turned gold when Trystan controlled him. When Merlin… when he…

_When Merlin used magic._

Arthur briefly closed his eyes.

His time was up.

A second set of deliberately slow footsteps were heard, echoing coldly and sharply around the cave. They taunted Arthur.

But he was a prince.

The Crown Prince and most formidable knight of Camelot.

He wouldn't be taken in by fear.

He couldn't.

He had to stay strong. Find a way out of this situation.

For himself.

For Camelot.

For Merlin.

_Merlin_, Arthur thought. The prince didn't even know what was wrong with Merlin. Hell, did he even _want_ to know?

The second pair of eyes emerged from the dark, followed by a face. And then that smirk full of arrogance and twisted joy.

"I see you have awoken a little earlier than expected, my _prince_," Trystan greeted, eyes dancing with glee. "But I'm sure we can sort that."

Arthur glared at the man through narrowed eyes in disgust.

The prince knew all too well what was coming.

Trystan just smiled beamed. "Merlin, you know what to do by now."

The skinny figure automatically raised a pale hand.

"_Chylma_."

And exactly like the last time, Arthur couldn't move. His body was frozen. He felt heavy, stiff, and any normal movement took a hundred times the energy.

Not that he had time to worry about that. Trystan was already planning his next torture session.

"What should I use this time…" Trystan trailed off, using his fingers to count off his previous methods.

Then his face suddenly hardened. His eyes still glittered though.

"Actually, no."

Arthur looked up, a defiant look on his face. He cast Trystan a look of repulsion. He basically said, _give it all you've got._

He honestly couldn't care what new idea Trystan planned to throw at him. In fact, he didn't mind at all.

_Better me than Merlin._

And so Arthur endured everything, teasing Trystan, luring him in, downright _taunting_ the man into throwing anything and everything he had at him.

And it was working.

It just had its consequences.

But to Arthur, that didn't matter.

Trystan smiled, which announced his plan was complete and was ready to tell the prince all about it.

"I have another idea."

Arthur rolled his eyes.

Trystan gave a small chuckle. "A better idea."

"I'm sure," drawled Arthur sarcastically.

"Good," Trystan replied. "Because I am as well."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Arthur shot back harshly.

"Nothing."

Trystan looked at Merlin, and to Arthur's surprise, Merlin slowly turned his head and looked back.

Trystan nodded. Merlin spoke.

"_Ysgafala_."

The paralysis spell wore off instantly, taking Arthur by surprise.

The prince gasped as control of his own body returned to him without warning, and with it, pain. Before Arthur knew what was happening, he fell backwards, cracking his head off the jagged, stone wall of the cave. The noise reverberated off the walls.

Everything was spinning viciously. Bright lights and immense pain exploded in his head.

It took everything the prince had not to be sick.

He could only gasp in panicky lungfuls of air, desperately trying to get the pain under control. Every single muscle in his body was coiled so tightly that his body began to tremble.

Arthur's form emanated waves of agonising, physical torture.

"Now, _sire_, you have a decision to make," Trystan smirked.

As his world got a little easier to cope with, Arthur growled. It was the same every time, a routine Arthur had now long grown used to. He knew what he would be asked.

"You, or you manservant this time?"

Arthur's face was determined and decisive. He wasn't going to give Trystan any more satisfaction than he had to.

Trystan _relished_ in the current situation. He loved the fact that he finally had control over the prince, Camelot's pride and joy.

But even though he had that control at the moment, Arthur still continued to stick to his stubborn, noble ways.

And Trystan wanted nothing more than to see Arthur break.

To see him snap in two.

He wanted to see the prince suffer. Suffer so badly that the pain couldn't be contained. He wanted to hear the screams, the pleas, the begging. He wanted to smell the metallic, coppery smell of crimson. He wanted to wield every single ounce of power.

And he wanted _everyone_ to know it, and know it well.

Trystan sighed. "Now, now, Pendragon, I don't have all day long to wait for your decision."

Painfully aware of his throbbing head, Arthur shut down all the emotions in his face exactly as he had been trained to do. "You already know my answer."

Trystan smiled patiently. "And I want to head it again."

Arthur's expression remained impassive. "Me."

Trystan laughed. "Still sticking to our noble, princely ways, then. Your father would be _so_ proud."

Arthur gritted his teeth.

"I _do_ hope you are happy with your decision."

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air.

And the prince didn't like it. He knew Trystan had a change of plan, he just wasn't keen to share it at the moment. But Arthur was aware he would find out soon enough.

Typical Trystan, as far as Arthur was concerned. _More fun_, the prince thought. _When **does** the party start?_

Trystan must have read his mind, as he gestured for Merlin to work his magic. Literally.

In a flash Arthur was somehow standing, feet glued to the ground to keep him upright, and he was holding something that had materialised in his hand.

Merlin was kneeling in front of him.

Slowly, realisation hit Arthur. And hit him hard.

In the prince's hand, was a whip.

It was a long, leather beast. The stiff handle plaited off into nine, threatening tails of coarse, knotted rope.

Arthur swallowed.

He'd seen one of these whips before.

In action.

It was a whipping device for severe physical punishment.

Torture.

In short, it was designed to lacerate the skin and cause intense pain.

The prince shuddered as it became clear Trystan wanted him to use this on Merlin.

He had to stop this.

He squared his shoulders resolutely. "No."

Trystan raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I will not."

Trystan smirked.

"You cannot make me!" snapped Arthur. "So stop wasting your time!"

Arthur didn't like this at all. He couldn't whip Merlin. He couldn't harm Merlin at all.

_Not consciously._

But what if Trystan could twist things somehow, and Arthur _did_ have to.

He didn't know how much Merlin would be able to take. He wouldn't know when to stop.

He could really hurt his friend.

But there was also another aspect to consider.

Arthur wasn't sure if he would be able to live with the guilt.

_Whipping Merlin_. He shivered. That single thought was just… _wrong_.

It was against every fibre of Arthur's being.

He wouldn't do it. He _couldn't_ do it.

Could he?

* * *

**Please review! I promise you I will have next chapter up sooner... :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey again! :D**

**Here is the second part of Trystan's torture session! I'm thinking I must have some warped head on my shoulders to come up with this... and I'm only 14 too... comforting... **

**Anyway! Massive, masssive, MASSIIVVEEEE thankies to HikaruOfArrow, arbitrary9, Emmmaaarr, Loopylion14 (hope this is sooner for you :P), maxibatts, magnetic-starfish, MagicByMerlin, themasters pet, goodythreeshoes and Ohtar Vicky for reviewing and supporting me!!!! ^_^ **

**Try to enjoy? ;D**

**Haliii xxx  
**

* * *

_  
Whipping Merlin_. He shivered. That single thought was just… _wrong_.

It was against every fibre of Arthur's being.

He wouldn't do it. He _couldn't_ do it.

Could he?

_No_.

He wouldn't.

But it seemed Trystan wasn't prepared to push it. Arthur was given a compromise.

"Perhaps the other way around, then?"

And before Arthur could process this new information he and Merlin had switched positions, the prince kneeling on the harsh, raw floor, at his manservant's mercy.

The warlock stood behind his prince silently, the whip hanging limply from his hand and brushing against the floor. His empty, glassy eyes staring into the space straight ahead.

All he waited for was a single word from Trystan's lips.

And a disorientated Arthur had not quite worked out what had just happened yet.

"Well? What does our _prince_ think?" Trystan nagged impatiently.

Arthur ignored him.

His brain was already analysing the pros and cons of the situation – easy when he was a knight through and through, coming up with strategies and calculating risks every day of his life.

And for the prince, this situation _was_ better.

Arthur was already in pain – what was a little more? He was also stronger and could endure more than his clumsy manservant.

And hopefully, in his hypnotised state, Merlin wouldn't remember a thing.

And that's exactly how Arthur wanted it.

So, he took a deep breath and hastily shoved his pride aside.

Merlin was more important.

Arthur closed his eyes and sealed his fate. "This way is better." The prince looked up with a stoic expression. "Proceed."

Trystan nodded, shrugging and folding his arms. "So be it."

He gestured to Merlin. "You heard him. Get on with it."

Arthur tensed as he heard Merlin raise his arm.

And strike.

_Crack._

Arthur squeezed his eyes shut in surprise as the weapon tore through his shirt, and leaving nine carves in his skin.

_Crack._

He bit his lip, determined not to cry out.

_Crack._

His body began to tremble.

_Crack._

Breathing became difficult and panicky.

_Crack._

"Harder!" Trystan shouted, eyes glittering dangerously. "Let's see how much he can handle."

_**Crack!**_

The whip crossed into the wounds it had already made.

It was agonising.

_**Crack!**_

Arthur's hands gripped the rocky floor, knuckles white and shaky.

_**Crack!**_

He barely stifled a moan. Sharp rock cut into his palms, making them slippery with blood.

_**Crack!**_

He felt the blood running off his back in small rivers. The smell of it made him feel sick.

_**Crack!**_

The nine tendrils of cruel rope sliced painfully into his back for the tenth time.

It was like fire.

_**Crack!**_

He cried out softly.

His whole body was heaving from the blows. He couldn't seem to breathe fast enough, consumed by the blood and torture. Lost in a world of suffering.

He saw his blood, tasted his blood, smelled his blood. He felt it drip from his body.

Arthur instinctively tensed as he waited for the next blow.

The blow that should have come already.

It never came.

Merlin had stopped.

He stood, arm raised, whip ready, eyes staring into space as always. But he had just stopped.

Trystan frowned. "Since when did I tell you to stop?" he demanded angrily. Then he shook his head. "Oh well. I got what I wanted from him." He smiled. "For now."

Trystan was on top of his world. Now the first part of his plan was complete, he was free to move on to the second stage, with no complications.

Exactly how he wanted it.

He turned his attention back to Arthur.

The prince was now lying on the ground, breathing heavily. His world was contorted with pain.

_Completely oblivious_, thought Trystan. The man stepped forward, dagger in hand, and knelt beside the prince.

"I will be back soon. Until then, you manservant will be looking after you," Trystan whispered in Arthur's ear. "I'm just going to bring back a souvenir for your beloved father."

Then, in one swift move, Trystan lifted Arthur's shirt and sliced it down the middle with the dagger, brutally cutting into the prince's wounds as he went.

Arthur shouted out and flinched sharply in pain.

Trystan smirked as he tugged the shirt off of Arthur, irritating the welts on the prince's back and causing more crimson liquid to pool to the floor beneath him.

"I'll see you later," Trystan murmured with a smile. "Merlin, get started," the man commanded as he rose from his position on the floor.

Arthur watched with unfocused eyes as the warlock stoically raised a hand and, without hesitation, hauled Arthur up from the floor, eyes gold once more.

Arthur weakly tried to protest.

"Mer…lin… don't…"

But it had no effect.

Merlin dragged Arthur with his magic over to a strange metal contraption made from levers and thick, strong bars. Dumping the prince on the floor next to it, he carried out Trystan's orders.

"You see this?" Merlin's voice was cold and emotionless, almost hollow sounding as he held up the contraption. "It fits like so," he continued, placing Arthur's left arm inside so that two of the bars were on top of it and one beneath.

Arthur tried to focus on what was happening. His arm was in an odd, slightly painful position, but not nearly as bad as what happened next.

"And when I push this down…" Merlin put a slight pressure on the main lever of the odd machine. Forcefully, but slowly, the bars closed together, trapping his arm in between them; it felt as if any moment his bone would snap.

Arthur clenched his jaw and eyes shut tightly, trying desperately to deal with the pain. God, it hurt! He heard Trystan laugh as Merlin finally let up on his arm.

Arthur gasped for breath as the pressure was released. He could practically feel the metal bars cutting into his flesh, even though they, for the moment, left nothing but a large bruise.

"Yes..." Trystan said. "Now you don't have to do this. Let Merlin do it for you instead," he said, smiling at the knowledge that Arthur would refuse, and that he would have to do it in the end.

"No!" Arthur yelled. He could _not_ give in.

"Fine, then," Trystan said off-handedly, and suddenly Merlin applied more pressure to the machine that held Arthur's arm. The prince sucked in his breath quickly, closing his eyes again; he gritted his teeth, letting no sound escape. As Merlin slowly increased the pressure on his arm, Arthur briefly wondered when it did not snap as fast as a toothpick for all the pain it caused.

"That's it..." Trystan looked on in smug approval of the whole situation. He leaned closer to the prince, allowing his Merlin to keep applying the pressure, ever so slowly increasing. "Now..." he smiled at the prince, leaning over, he moved his mouth until it almost touched Arthur's ear.

"Scream for me..." he whispered. Arthur's eyes shot open at the words, but he remained still, even in the immeasurable pain. "Cry and beg me to stop and maybe I won't make you suffer through this pain all night... maybe. And you could always let Merlin take your place." The exact words that Trystan had repeated so many times flew out of his mouth once more. Arthur could barely keep from crying out now, as the pain doubled every second he held silent.

_Be strong._ He told himself. _Do not show any weakness._ The lower metal bar dug into his arm now, its blunted metal still cutting through skin at this pressure. The point of tension was nearing. _You will not scream, you will not cry. You can take this. _He felt the pressure heighten until he was positive his arm would break in half in a moment. He braced himself. _Do not scream. Do not-_

_**SNAP.**_

He screamed.

"Yes!" Trystan cheered at the sound he had elicited from the prince's lips. The sickening noise of breaking bone was accompanied by an agonised shout of pain.

"Take it off," he instructed Merlin.

Removing the metal was a difficult task as well. It let up with a jerk, and Arthur cried out again in pain as the extreme pressure was reversed, allowing blood flow to his hand once more, as the lower metal bar was drawn away from the bloody wound it had caused to his skin and muscle.

"Now…" Trystan said joyfully, "I will leave Merlin with you to continue your treatment while I pay Camelot a visit."

Arthur, in excruciating pain, could do nothing.

Trystan continued. "I'm sure your father will be pleased to see me. He must be worried by now. I will let him know how you are doing." Trystan grinned.

Then he swiftly turned around and walked away. "Play nicely!"

And he was gone.

But Merlin wasn't.

The warlock grabbed Arthur's other arm and placed it into the machine.

The prince was powerless.

His breathing quickened, the harsh gasping the only sound in the cave as Merlin began to put pressure on his right arm…

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**  
Please review...? x**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey! Still remember me? Just? I know, I know, extremelyyy late update, I am so sorry :( I got ill before and during Christmas - totally ruined my plans for presents - including yours! But I'm getting round to them all one by one.**

**So many reviews and alerts! :O My brain is just about fried! I have decided this chapter is dedicated to all THIRTY SEVEN of you who have subscribed and told me you want more. Thank you so much :)**

**And an even bigger thank you to Emmmaarr, magnetic-starfish, Ohtar Vicky, Loopylion14, imaxgoxgnomgnomxonxya, Shyriane, unicorndiva, HikaruOfArrow, melon3, maxibatts, MagicByMerlin, goodythreeshoes, TheMinxySix, JisbonFriend, hpenchantress and ruby890!!!!!!! SO MANY REVIEWS 0_o THANK YOU *bows to each and every reviewer* I'm so sorry I haven't replied. I just wanted to get this chapter out for you.**

**I hope Santa was kind to you all! xxx  
**

* * *

Arthur gritted his teeth, his face scrunched up tightly. His whole being was tainted with pain.

Pain caused by Merlin.

Arthur couldn't look at the warlock's face anymore.

Merlin had become one of the people he trusted most in his world. All the times his clumsy, yet kind-hearted manservant would risk everything for the prince, from a spell in the stocks to his life…

Now they meant nothing.

_Should I ever have trusted Merlin?_

_Yes._

_No._

_I don't know.  
_

* * *

Uther slammed his fists on the table. A desperate growl of frustration escaping his throat.

His knights had thoroughly searched the forests of Camelot for the third time, and had again returned with the same result.

Still no sight of his son.

_Or Merlin_, he thought. He looked across the room at Gaius.

The king felt torn inside.

Not only had he lost his son, but the one true friend he had known over the course of many years was suffering the same fate.

The physician had his head bowed as he stared miserably at the floor, and Uther could feel the grief emanating from the man.

It threatened to tear apart both their souls.

"Keep searching!" Uther commanded. "It is all we can do," he finished quietly, speaking to himself more than anyone else.

The guard bowed and left the hall once more, leaving Camelot's physician and king alone.

"Have we anymore knowledge on this _Trystan_?" Uther asked again, disgust colouring his voice at the use of the hated man's name.

"No," replied Gaius. "But I feel we need to be on our guard. We don't know his motives, but the obvious reason Trystan took Arthur captive was to get at you; to weaken the kingdom and cause Camelot's downfall."

Uther nodded, grave yet determined. "He will not succeed."

The physician nodded in return. "We should anticipate his arrival." Gaius paused. "Uther, he _will_ use Arthur as a weapon against you. You must not give in to the temptation. He will kill us all, given the chance."

The king's face was grim. "I know, Gaius. You must also be strong. I have a strong feeling your skills will be needed. We will rescue both our sons. Together."

Running footsteps echoed down the passageway to the hall, causing both men to look up. A pounding knock sounded on the huge doors.

"Enter!"

One of the knights, dressed in chainmail and red cloth hastily burst through the doors. "My lord!" he paused to catch his breath. "There's…there has been a sighting…lone man on horseback…coming this way!" The messenger swallowed.

"He fits the description of the prince's captor."

* * *

"Merlin," Arthur pleaded. "Merlin, don't do this." The prince desperately searched the warlock's for some spark of the boy he knew, for some sign that his friend was still there.

He found nothing but emptiness.

Arthur choked back a sob.

This was it.

The pressure was mounting on his arm. Arthur knew any moment he was going to once more hear his bone snap in two.

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"**_

The scream was piercing and spoke of true pain.

Arthur's eyes went wide.

That wasn't his scream.

"You are sure?" Uther demanded urgently, immediately rising from his chair. Gaius's face mirrored his emotions; a mixture of surprise, fear and pure anger.

The knight nodded, still somewhat breathless.

"How far?" the king asked.

"He will arrive within the hour, my lord."

Uther's face darkened. "So be it," he murmured. Then louder, "Escort him straight to this hall the very moment he arrives."

The messenger nodded and quickly left the room, heading to alert the rest of the guard.

"Gaius, we will soon see our sons again."

The physician smiled slightly. "I hope so, Uther. I hope so."

* * *

Merlin could faintly hear a voice, coming from somewhere in the murky darkness. It was calling his name. Urging him to wake up.

But he didn't want to wake up.

The darkness was soothing; there was no more pain, and he didn't have to think.

Didn't have to think about what he was doing to Arthur.

_Arthur._

_**ARTHUR!**_

He screamed.

* * *

Arthur watched in amazement as Merlin was all of a sudden attacked by some invisible force.

His manservant jerked away, before scrambling back from Arthur hastily, nearly losing his balance in the process.

Then he began to tremble. At first, the shaking of his body was so small it was barely visible.

But it got worse.

Arthur watched in horror as the light trembling escalated into some kind of fit; Merlin's body began jerking violently, as if buffeted by gale force winds.

"What the hell is happening to you…" Arthur whispered, somewhat fearful for the boy.

But the prince's wonderings were cut short as all at once Merlin was hurled through the air and smashed into the jagged cave wall.

"Merlin!"

With some unknown strength Arthur didn't know he possessed, the prince quickly freed his arm from Trystan's twisted contraption and tore across the cave to the warlock.

The boy was slumped limply against the wall, eyes closed in unconsciousness.

"Merlin!" Arthur leaned over the boy, reminding himself of the time his manservant had drank from the poisoned chalice. He shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts.

"Merlin, can you hear me? Wake up!" Arthur slapped Merlin across the face, before grabbing the boy's bony shoulder and giving it a none too gentle shake.

To his utter surprise, Merlin groaned, his face turning into a wince as he feebly tried to bat Arthur's hand away from his shoulder.

Suddenly Merlin shot bolt upright, still sitting on the floor but every muscle tense, as if ready to flee for his life at any second.

But then he relaxed, leaning back against the cave wall, his breathing steady.

And his glassy eyes gazing straight ahead at nothing.

Arthur dropped his head, his hands covering his face. He let out a strangled laugh.

Still hypnotised. _Still_.

"God, Merlin! What does it _take_ to get through to you?" The prince shook his head. "Seems all the time you need someone to get through to you – you almost never know what you're doing, and if you do, you do it wrong."

Arthur sighed, letting out the frustration. There was a reminiscing look in the prince's eyes and a small smile lingered on his face. "Typical worst servant ever."

He looked up.

"But you're the first servant to get through to me."

Sadness played on Arthur's features as he took in the boy's current state.

"I know I'm probably not the best person to be around – and I know there's been times when I've been unfair to you."

He sighed.

"And for that, I'm sorry – really, I am. I know it's not worth it. I know I'm not worth it. But Merlin…"

He paused.

"I'm glad you've stuck around. I know… I know I've not made it easy. But I'm glad you're here, Merlin. I really am."

Arthur leaned against the wall opposite Merlin. It was surprisingly easy to talk to the boy, even if that was because he was in a trance. Taking a deep breath, the prince continued, deciding it felt good to release what was on his mind.

"I know I have a problem with admitting things. I'm sorry. It's really hard. I mean, when you've been a prince all you life and brought up to be invincible and you have to do your father proud. And, contrary to what everyone thinks, it's extremely lonely."

His eyes held a faraway look, as he relived his past.

"When I was younger, I couldn't have any problems, and if I did they were secret and I had to deal with them on my own. There was no one I could confide in; I was forced to become this cold, unshakable figure – always right, never wrong. I wasn't exactly a nice person."

He shifted his glance back to Merlin once more.

"But you managed to get past that – you saw me for who I really was. And no one's… no one's ever done that before. And I call you an idiot and put you down all the time… but I don't mean it. Because I've realised – okay, maybe begrudgingly at first, but that doesn't matter..."

He smiled to himself. "I've realised that you're not a servant to me – you're a friend. A true friend that I would risk my life for. And hopefully always will. Because I know you would do the same for me."

The prince sighed.

"Now, hurry up and come to your senses. We need you to. I need you to."

And with that, Arthur settled himself as comfortable as he could against the cave wall with every intention to get some shut eye.

* * *

See you next time, hope you all had the most amazing Christmas! xxx


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey :) Okay... so my exams aren't over til this Friday. But I just had to write this xD If you are still reading this, thanks for putting up with the not-so-quick updates. This chapter is sorta different to how I would normally write, but I decided to go with the flow ;)**

**Thanks so much to my lovely, superhumanly patient reviewers - unicorndiva, maxibatts, peanutmeg, hpenchantress, krissystvs, ruby890, TheMinxySix, HikaruOfArrow, goodythreeshoes, CrayonsPink and Ohtar Vicky! :D *hugs***

**ruby890, if you can remember your last review you might recognise what Merlin says at the end ;)**

**Enjoy! xxx  
**

* * *

Merlin blinked slowly, never changing the rhythm of his breathing, never moving his gaze from the point on the wall ahead of him that he had chosen.

He thought he was dying inside.

This charade was killing him; it was easily the hardest thing he had ever done. He would never, for the rest of his life, be able to forgive himself for torturing Arthur. He hadn't expected that Trystan would make him do that. Well, at least not breaking his _bones_.

Arthur's confession had torn his heart out and he desperately wished the prince would stop speaking. He knew all about the pain Arthur had gone through for him, and that knowledge was crushing. But the prince still trusted him? Merlin couldn't believe it.

The warlock forced himself to wait. Wait until he was sure Trystan was gone, wait until the pounding in his shoulder died down and the fears that caused his heart to race subsided - all tell-tale signs that he was near. He knew Trystan was still monitoring them. He wasn't far enough from the cave yet – the dark presence throbbed in his shoulder like a warning signal.

Arthur began to flinch and moan in his sleep, as if suffering from a nightmare. He released something that sounded like a heartbroken sob. It was too much for the manservant to handle and the emotions he had been fighting spilled silently down his own cheeks.

He had been as strong as he was able to be.

He had played the charade as best he could around a burning and breaking heart. The only measure of comfort he could take was that if he hadn't taken this gamble, Trystan would eventually have broken him for real and he would've been forced to do much worse to Arthur, no choice whatsoever.

He'd only allowed Trystan to _think_ he'd won. Merlin's mind still burned and swirled from the dark assault when he lifted his defenses... but the Trystan did not realize that he had been fooled. He had only been allowed in as far as Merlin chose to let him. He had only seen the things the warlock left for him to find. It had been an extremely risky gamble. If the man had chosen to dig deeper and force the issue more thoroughly, Merlin might not have been able to pull back and hold onto himself and he could truly have been lost. However, it seemed that, at least for the moment, someone was looking kindly upon his desperate gambit.

Merlin trembled slightly, this time not because of illness or pain. If Trystan had not been so sure of himself, or had not wanted to torment Arthur with the sight of a broken friend, things could have turned out very badly. But the risk had paid off for now and Merlin had been left alone in the cave with Arthur. It was more than he had hoped for in the beginning.

He had a plan forming in the back of his mind even now. He knew Arthur had probably started thinking about one too. Trystan was going back to Camelot, to blackmail and torment Uther, pocketing the crown in the process.

Merlin thought hard, about all the spells he knew. He thought that when Trystan was far away enough, he could break the man's hold over him completely. That meant he wouldn't be able to sense Merlin anymore, and the two friends could return to Camelot unknown.

Maybe...

Waiting for a few more minutes before he gave up his feigned stupor, Merlin swallowed hard and tried to block out the soft sounds of distress coming from the opposite wall of the cave. When Arthur's breathing hitched and he gave a soft whimper of pain, Merlin could stand it no more.

Glancing quickly to the direction Trystan had left, Merlin scooted across the floor and crouching in front of Arthur, gently taking the prince's face in his hands.

"Arthur…" Merlin called softly. "Arthur, wake up."

No response. "Arthur!"

The warlock watched as the prince slowly came to, eyelids fluttering. "What…"

Arthur started and pulled back sharply as much as he could, pressing his injured back against the brutal wall. His wide eyes betrayed his emotions – mainly surprise and shock.

But the warlock noticed the fear.

Merlin's heart burned at seeing that directed at him. But he couldn't blame Arthur for being afraid of him. Not after what he'd done.

Quickly and quietly, the warlock shrank back to the other side of the cave. "I'm sorry, Arthur, I'm so sorry..." he begged forgiveness he knew he didn't deserve. "I didn't know what else to do…"

Arthur shuddered as Merlin moved away, his confused gaze searching his friend's face.

"Merlin?" he rasped quietly. He winced, the sharp rock digging into his back.

"Arthur, don't move... it's all right – there's nothing wrong with me. I… he can't control me anymore." Merlin shifted a bit closer, wary of Arthur's reaction.

The prince hissed loudly and let out a small groan as Arthur, surprised by the action, tried to reach out to his manservant.

At his friend's pain, Merlin instantly sprang forward, wrapping an arm around the prince's shoulders and pulling Arthur to lean against him, taking some pressure off the painful wounds.

"It's okay," Merlin murmured softly. "Don't move. He's not here anymore. He's gone." The warlock loosened his grip, just incase the prince was uncomfortable at the contact.

"What...?" Arthur turned and looked incredulously at the man crouched beside him. His wary eyes held Merlin's gaze, judging for himself if his manservant was truly well. To the prince's immense relief, he saw Merlin behind his those eyes again, with no shadow of lie or deception between them.

"It was an act," Merlin replied distractedly as he moved slightly to take more of Arthur's weight. "I gave him what he wanted and gambled on his over-confidence..." The warlock turned his head away guiltily, squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to regain some control over his emotions. This was his entire fault. Arthur had suffered all because of him and his ridiculous plan.

The prince was at a loss. He frowned slightly, desperately searching for something to say, but as soon as he'd opened his mouth Merlin had turned to face him and had started speaking again.

"I'm so sorry, Arthur," he repeated. "I had to play along. I _had_ to do what he told me so he would believe... I-I never wanted to hurt you and I didn't mean…didn't mean anything. I never imagined he would force me to...to do _that_ to you. I really, really wanted to give you a sign that I was all right, but I couldn't risk him finding out the truth. He could've done something even worse! So I just obeyed him until I couldn't feel him anymore." Merlin gave a small, rueful smile and gently touched a deep, welted wound to his shoulder. "At least some good has come of this wound – I know when he's near; he has touched it too many times for it to forget his presence."

Arthur gave Merlin a slightly confused look. He reached out his good hand, his touch gentle, and carefully looked closer at the warlock's wound. "Trystan did this to you?"

Merlin looked up briefly, before bowing his head and concealing his face from Arthur's view. "Yes. It was his way to control me – he stabbed me and then infected the wound with magic. I'm sorry. I should've done something."

"And you faked this trance? All that… you really knew what you were doing and had control over it?" The prince's voice was neutral.

A tear dripped onto the ground as Merlin nodded slightly. "I think… I think he'd started to use magic on me when he first arrived. I don't really remember much until when you were hurt – I remember that clearly. And–and then nothing until… until I had to whip you…" the manservant's voice was on the edge of a knife, and the prince heard more tears rain down on the stone floor.

Arthur sighed. This changed things.

Merlin had really been aware of torturing Arthur. It had really been his manservant, his trusted _friend_ that had whipped his back to shreds and broken his arm with that vile contraption.

But it had been a pure miracle that he had broken free of the trance.

And, most important of all, Merlin had not revealed he was no longer under the influence. This now gave them the advantage, and had very probably saved Arthur's life, along with a chance to save Camelot. The prince knew this.

Arthur squeezed the warlock's uninjured shoulder gently. "I don't blame you."

Merlin's head whipped up, forgetting about the emotions streaming down his face in shock. "What? But Arthur, how can you possibly – "

"Merlin, this is not your fault. If he had magic then what could you have done? How were you meant to know his presence was slowly affecting you? The important thing is you overcame Trystan's influence. And I never thought I would say this – _ever_, but your quick thinking has probably just saved my life and given us a chance to return to Camelot."

"But - "

"No, Merlin, I don't want to hear it. You've nothing to be sorry for."

The manservant's face was frozen in disbelief – Arthur didn't blame him. He was _forgiving_ him! Said he had just saved a royal ass. After everything horrendous he'd done to the prince, Arthur still understood he only did what he thought was best.

Merlin just couldn't believe it.

Arthur winced slightly, knowing the pain his friend was going through as memories of similar times resurfaced. He gave Merlin's shoulder another light squeeze and smiled softly, assuring the warlock that what he was saying was true.

"There is nothing to forgive, Merlin," Arthur shook his head. "You did what you had to do. I'm just glad that you're all right," the prince admitted, another smile on his face.

Merlin smiled back. "But we need to get you to Gaius, to make sure you'll all right. Let's get out of here." The warlock frowned in concern. "Do you think you can walk?"

"Come off it, Merlin, you didn't manage to get a start on breaking my legs."

Still, with that said, it was hard enough to get to his feet – _with_ Merlin's help. But the two managed to help each other hobble to the entrance to the cave.

"Wait a minute," said Arthur, suddenly. "If you were awake all that time, then you must have heard…"

Merlin grinned. "Yup. _Everything_."

Silence.

Merlin burst out laughing at the look on the prince's face. "Don't worry, Arthur. I knew you liked me."


End file.
